The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-07
ARTHUR VINTON.
A Swain Of Low Degree Who
Presumed Too Little.

"Aren't you little too kind to that young
man, Lindsay2n
Lindsay Bell, who was standing by A
table, busy modelling figure in gray clay,
walked back step, looking at her work
with critical air, then proceeding to make
some slight alteration, said cody: ''What
young man do you mean, Minniel IL it that
boy who brings the clay?"
EXACTLY" replied the elder lady shortly;
'E''that boy who brings the clay"
ga nice child, remarked the young artist
cheerfully.
"Child!'' cried her friend and chaperone
disdainfully. "You call a man of twenty
sone or two years old childl"
''CeIa depend, ma che,e; in the present in
stance, do He is mere infant, while ],
let me remind you, am widow aged twenty
three"
''And look eighteen"
81 am old enough to be the boys auntie,"
continued pretty Lindsay Bell, ignoring the
interruption; ~ like him; he admres me ;
why shouldn't be kind to HING"
Take care. | remember once before
when you was girl in your teens you had
"a lover who was still younger and you
talked then as you do now. Have you for
gotten how wild with grief you were when
=
Il was a goose" replied Mrs. Bell quietly
f'EIe didn't kill himself or even infiict a
serious wound. 1t was a bit of melodrama
He is happily married now and is none the
worse for pink scar on his forehead.
was young and believing in those days. I've
got sense now. Besides, if you talk about
such young men as possible lovers for a
woman in my walk of life, what am to do
about getting more clay2 Can't l say a
kind word to pale, yellow-haired lad with
a spirituelle expression which interests me-
without having you pounce on me as if l
were trying to fiirt with him? HaveI ever
been undignifed enough to tlirt with man
beneath me in station!
''N-o," slowly admitted her friend; 'but
there is no telling when you may begin.
This very quiet life we are leading does not
suit you, Lindsay, sind the fact is, l am a
little afraid you may get into mischief"
Saying this, she left the room; and the
young artist, after smiling scornfully, and
working with careless rapidity for mo-
ment, threw down her implement, and
walking to the window, fell into profound
reverie.
There was aloyely view. The house stood
nigh on a green hill, with mountains rising
higher all around it. Below lay the peaceful
village with the white church spires /;
nearly opposite on another hill, little to
the right was an old, neglected cemetery,
and it was there that Lindsay's eyes rested.
Something attracted her in the somber
pines and cedars which waved darkly,
sadly over the forgotten graves. The after
noon shadows grew deeper and longer as she
stood watching them.
minnie has upset me with her interior
ing nonsense" she said to herself at last
al will run over to the old ce metery and get
myself Gained down. But" she reflected,
as she threw on her hat and went her way,
al ought not to feel so irritated She means
well enough, and she is quite right. / am
going too far with that boy; fear l may
already have gone too far. Yet l meant
only to be kind to lonely lad whose refined
face and manners seemed little remark
able in one VINO must have had few advan-
tages Heighol if he had but been Of my
own class" then, making a gesture OF
annoyance, Lindsay Bell, " she murmured
half aloud, 'are you insane9 Would you
could you love "a swain of low degreePn
and alas her heart replied that she both
would and could, and that, what was more,
hshe did This was startling,
Opening the olumsy little gate, hall
Broken on its hinges, she wendell her way
Through the thick underground and tall
fierce lilies, over tho fallen tombstones ant
fattcned graves, for thore were no path
deft, until she -sacned retired spot, shaded
eyen 10 gloom where two low, thick, heavy